Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews reiterated Thursday he believes he can win a Stanley Cup with the franchise.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do,\u201d Matthews said, speaking to reporters for the first time since suffering a season-ending knee injury in March. \u201cI believe in the guys in the room and the people we have here\u2026 we\u2019re all hopeful this is kind of a one-off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthews posted 27 goals and 53 points in 60 games before taking a knee-on-knee hit from Anaheim Ducks captain Radko Gudas that forced him to undergo surgery.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you probably know how I feel about the hit,\u201d Matthews reflected on the incident. \u201cUp until a couple days ago I was standing on crutches.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 28-year-old centre has faced speculation on his on future with the club amid a lost season that sawthe franchise\u2019snine-year streak of postseason appearances come toan\u00a0end. He remains signed through the 2027-28 season at a cap hit of $13.25 million.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t predict the future,\u201d Matthews said of looking forward Thursday. \u201c… They have to hire new leadership at management and stuff like that. So, I don\u2019t really know. Like I said, I can\u2019t predict the future.\u201d <\/p>\n
The chart forward for the Maple Leafs is unclear as the team conducts their search for a new head of hockey operations after firing general manager Brad Treliving last month.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a tough year, it was a frustrating year,\u201d Matthews added. \u201cWe didn\u2019t meet the goals or the expectations that we set out at at the start. Ultimately, that\u2019s on me, that\u2019s on us as players. We\u2019re the ones that have to go out there and compete and play the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matthews on lack of response from team after Gudas hit, how rehab is going Auston Matthews gives his thoughts on the lack of response from his teammates after the Radko Gudas hit that put an end to his season. Matthews also shares how his rehab is going and how confident he is that he’ll be ready for the start of next season. <\/p>\n
Selected first overall in 2016, Matthews has 428 goals, a franchise record, and 780 points in 689 games over his 10-season NHL career.<\/p>\n
He served as captain of the US Olympic team that captured gold at the Olympics in February. <\/p>\n
Rielly hopes to return, Tanev eyes bounce back<\/p>\n
Morgan Rielly, the longest-tenured member of the Maple Leafs, has faced significant speculation on his own future with Toronto. <\/p>\n
The 32-year-old blueliner remains signed through the 2029-30 season at a cap hit of $7.5 million, but declining production has put his future in the spotlight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to stay. I still want to stay,\u201d Rielly told reporters Thursday.<\/p>\n
While it has been suggested that the new front office, once in place, could ask Rielly to waive his full no-move clause, the defenceman was not willing to comment on speculation.<\/p>\n
\u201cHard to comment when that conversation hasn\u2019t happened,\u201d Rielly said.<\/p>\n
Selected fifth overall in the 2012 NHL draft, Rielly has appeared in 951 career games for the Maples, sitting seventh all-time in games played. <\/p>\n
He posted 11 goals and 36 points in 78 games this season for his lowest total since the NHL returned to an 82-game schedule in 2021-22. At minus-18, he posted the worst plus-minus since 2016-17 this season.<\/p>\n
Rielly on his future: ‘I still want to stay. I love playing here. I love being a Maple Leaf’ Asked about the potential of being asked to waive his no movement clause this offseason, Morgan Rielly said that while that thought has crossed his mind, his desire is, and always has been to be a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. <\/p>\n
Fellow defenceman Chris Tanev was limited to just 11 games this season with various injuries, but the 36-year-old vowed he will be back on the ice next season.<\/p>\n
Tanev underwent core muscle surgery in March, with the team stating he is expected to be ready for raining camp. <\/p>\n
A native of Toronto,\u00a0Tanev\u00a0just completed his 16th NHL season and second with the Leafs, having signed a six-year, $27.5 million deal with the team in the summer of 2024. He carries a cap hit of $4.5 million.<\/p>\n
Tanev\u00a0has appeared in 878 career games with the Leafs,\u00a0Dallas Stars<\/a>,\u00a0Calgary Flames<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Vancouver Canucks<\/a>.<\/p>\n Berube expects to be back behind bench<\/p>\n Craig Berube\u2019s future as head coach remains in limbo as the team searches for its next head of hockey operations, but the 60-year-old said Thursday he expects to be back behind the bench next season.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Berube simply told reporters when asked during Toronto\u2019s locker room cleanout if he expects to return. He added, however, that he has not been given any indication from the club as of yet. <\/p>\n MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley said last month that Berube\u2019s future with the team would be determined by the new leader of the front office, who he was hoping to have in place at some point in May.<\/p>\n The Maple Leafs will finish fifth-last in the NHL this season as their nine-year streak of playoff appearances has come to\u00a0an\u00a0end. Toronto posted a 32-36-14 record on the season, finishing\u00a0with\u00a078 points, 30\u00a0fewer\u00a0than their 2024-25 total.<\/p>\n ‘Absolutely’: Berube on if a team built around Matthews and Nylander can have success Toronto Maple Leafs head coach says he doesn’t believe the club has a “culture issue” and believes the problem this season was how they performed on the ice. He spoke about that, and offered praise to this team’s two biggest stars in Auston Matthews and William Nylander. <\/p>\n Uncertainty around Berube\u2019s future has lingered throughout a\u00a0disappointing\u00a0campaign and reached a fever pitch when Pelley fired Treliving just over two weeks ago.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think about it, guys. I mean, I really don\u2019t. You probably think I\u2019m bullsh–ting you, but I\u2019m not,\u201d Berube told reporters after Treliving was fired. \u201cI feel for Brad right now and his family. That\u2019s what I feel right now.\u201d<\/p>\n TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported at the time that Berube had been given no indication on his future from the franchise, but was given a heads up on Treliving\u2019s fate.<\/p>\n In his first season with the club, Berube helped guide Toronto to an Atlantic Division title with a 52-26-4 record, also securing the team\u2019s second playoff series win over the past decade, defeating the Ottawa Senators<\/a> in six games.<\/p>\n The Maple Leafs would fall to the eventual Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers<\/a> in the second round, losing 6-1 on home ice in Game 7.<\/p>\n